Watch Now! 1st Congressional District Candidate's Forum

"Gentlemanly and spirited"...is how the moderator of Tuesday night's forum described the discussion between the congressional candidates David McKinley and Mike Oliverio.

The only audience response to the one-hour forum came when Oliverio said he had done less negative campaign ads than McKinley.

"What we've tried to do is run a positive campaign," Oliverio said as a murmur of laughter came from the audience. "We have run three television ads this campaign...that have been positive."

And there were areas on which the two basically agreed...particularly on whether global warming was a man-made phonomenon.

"This is an issue people are using to stop the production and burning of coal in America," McKinley emphatically stated. "We've got to find ways to stand up and say no to that."

But, for sure, there were differences...such as how to continue the Bush tax cuts, which soon scheduled to expire.

"We need jobs desperately," McKinley said in support of keeping the cuts as they are. "So the idea of keeping taxes low will increase the likelihood of jobs coming back."

"I would support a plan to impose a one-year moritorium...to leave things the way they are for a year," Oliverio proposed, "then let us evaluate where we are a year from now, with the tax cuts in place."

Both candidates also say they're committed to, at the least, reducing the federal deficit...but don't believe there should be cuts in social security, notably in benefits, to achieve that.

Oliverio said McKinley supports privatizing Social Security...but McKinley said he wants to make sure Congress doesn't raid the Social Security fund.

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Watch Now! 1st Congressional District Candidate's Forum

Parkersburg, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia's 1st District Congressional candidates have more in common than their nasty campaign ads might suggest.

In a Parkersburg debate Tuesday, Republican David McKinley and Democrat Michael Oliverio agreed Washington needs a change, and both say they'll reduce the rancor.

McKinley, a former state GOP chairman, says he's informed Republican leaders he'll break ranks when it's the right thing to do for West Virginia.

Oliverio, a longtime State Senator, says he's not looking to get in lockstep with leadership, either: His goal is to get the party in step with West Virginia.

Oliverio also joined McKinley in expressing doubt about whether global warming is caused by human activity. The two say the claim is often used to attack the coal industry.

(Copyright 2010 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)_________________________________________________________

An important political debate is taking place Tuesday night in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The forum is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm (2300 GMT). It's sponsored by AARP, Metro News and WTAP-TV. Metro News' Hoppy Kercheval will be the moderator. No tickets are required to attend the forum at the Smoot.

The seat currently is held by long-time incumbent Democrat Alan Mollohan, who was defeated in the May primary.

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